CCAMLR

For operational reasons it would be more convenient to extend the 48.3 fishing season into April rather than into September. A proposal is developed to experimentally allow incremental extensions into April, accompanied by a bird bycatch limit, starting with an allowance for all vessels having full compliance with CM 25-02 in 2009 to fish from 26 April 2010 in the 2009/2010 fishing season. Vessels catching 3 birds in this period would have to stop fishing until 1 May 2010.

Fisheries are increasingly adopting ecosystem approaches to better manage impacts on non-target species. Although deliberate dumping of plastics at sea is banned, not all fisheries legislation prohibits discarding of gear (hooks and line) in offal, and compliance is often unknown. Analysis of a 16 year dataset collected at Bird Island indicated that the amount of gear found in association with wandering albatross colonies was an order of magnitude greater than in any other species, reflecting their wider foraging range and larger gape. Unlike other taxa, most gear associated with grey-headed albatross was from squid and not longline fisheries, and mistaken for natural prey rather than the result of direct interaction. Observed rates of foul-hooking (entanglement during line hauling) were much higher in giant petrels and wandering albatross than black-browed albatross, and no grey-headed albatross was affected. The index of wandering albatross gear abundance showed two peaks, the most recent corresponding with a substantial increase in the number of multifilament snoods (gangions), suggesting that the widespread adoption of a new longline system may have been responsible. Although all identified gear was demersal, given the widespread use of similar hooks, little could be assigned to a specific fishery. Stomach content analysis suggested that 1300-2048 items of gear are currently consumed per annum by the wandering albatross population at this archipelago. Many hooks are completely digested by chicks, long-term effects of which are entirely unknown. We suggest a number of management approaches for addressing the problem of gear discarding, and guidelines for monitoring schemes elsewhere

Surveys of beached marine debris at Bird Island, South Georgia recorded a total of 142, 96 and 148 items during summer 2007/08 (October 2007 to March 2008), winter 2008 (April to September) and summer 2008/09 (October 2008 to March 2009). Surveys at Signy Island, South Orkneys recorded a total of 113 items during summer 2008/09 (November 2008 to February 2009). Plastic, trawl webbing and ropes were the most commonly observed items (in varying quantities) during all three seasons at Bird Island, whereas high numbers (67 items; 59%) of packaging bands were collected at Signy Island during the survey period. Entanglements of 19 Antarctic fur seals (7 involving packaging bands), two giant petrels, one wandering albatross and one gentoo penguin (all involving fishing line and/or hooks) were observed at Bird Island, while one entangled fur seal was seen at Signy Island. In total, 147 items of marine debris were found in association with seabird colonies at Bird Island, with the highest number (89 items; 61%) associated with wandering albatrosses. A total of 20 incidences of hydrocarbon soiling involving nine gentoo penguins, eight king penguins, two Antarctic fur seals and one wandering albatross were observed, also at Bird Island. Overall, levels of marine debris at Bird Island and Signy Island during 2008/09 were below or just above the long-term mean for the majority of parameters measured. However, the highest levels on record were observed for both marine debris associated with giant petrels and hydrocarbon soiling of seabirds and mammals at Bird Island.

CCAMLR Members monitor beached debris, entanglement of marine mammals, marine debris associated with seabird colonies and animals contaminated with hydrocarbons at a number of sites, primarily in Area 48. Overall non-fishing debris items (mostly packaging items) have made up the majority of debris reported from monitoring sites. Relatively large amounts of fishing items have been reported at Bird Island, South Georgia over the last 10 years, but only small amounts from the other sites. Plastic packaging bands have been found regularly at sites monitored for beach debris and entangled on fur seals, despite their prohibition (for securing bait boxes) or restricted use (other plastic packaging bands) in Conservation Measure 26-01. Since 1991, data on entanglements of Antarctic fur seals has been received from 3 Members for 4 different sites, however only two of these sites have reported data for consecutive seasons. The most common entangling materials were plastic packaging bands, synthetic string/longline and fishing nets. The Wandering albatross has more debris reported from its colonies than any other species monitored at Bird Island with the majority of debris items being fishing lines and hooks. A total of 67 cases of hydrocarbon soiling for 8 species of seabirds, and 1 species of seal, have been reported to the Secretariat. The Wandering albatross is the most frequently recorded and the most common type of soiling agent was oil. The last ten years of data show fluctuation in the occurrence of marine debris at any of the sites monitored. The 2009 season reported lower amounts of debris at all sites, except King George Island. The Secretariat encourages all Members who collect marine debris information to submit it for inclusion in the CCAMLR Marine Debris database.